Refrigerating apparatus



` Aug. 12, 1941. j L, GIBSQN `2,252,173 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS v lFiledJan, 27, 1938 5 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 12, 19441. I J L.. GIBSON 2,252,173

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l y g?!INVENTOR.

. BY j ATTORNEYS.

REFRI GERAT ING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1958V 5 sheets-sheet sATTORNEY.1.

Au2.'12, 1941. J L. @BSCN 2,252,173

` l REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet# 2; w;1NVENTOR. BY JM." QJI/ ATTORNEYS. I,

Aug. 12, 1941.` J u.. GIBSON 2,252,173

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented llAug. 12, 1941 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS J Lowell Gibson,Dayton, vOhio, assigner to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, acorporation of Delaware l Application January 27, 1938, Serial No.187,235 u 11 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration, more particularly to thecooling offbeer and other beverages.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of and apparatus fortransporting and dispensing beer, which enables an efficient cool- `lngsystem to be set up at the dispensers `place of business, and enablesthe brewerto place the beer in containers which are not likely to bedamaged during the handling of the containers while being transportedbetween the brewery and the dispensers place of business.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an insulated barcabinet in which kegs of beer may be placed and wherein they can beeillciently cooled. In cooling the barrels, prefsection diagrammaticallyshowing another ar,

erably water or other cooling iiuid is circulated The Water which is tobe placed in the ldouble shell may be circulated continuously from asource of cold water supply, or a certain quantity of, preferablypre-cooled, water, or other conducting material, may be inserted in thedouble shell to provide a good conductor between a source ofrefrigeration vin the cabinet.

Another object of this invention,v where it involves the circulation ofcold water or other medium from a Water cooler through the jackets ofthe barrels, is to provide means for salvaging the cold water containedin the jacket of a barrel which has been emptied of beer, so that thispre-cooled water may then be placed 'in the Iresh barrels which havebeen delivered from the brewery.

Another object of this invention isto provide means whereby thecondensate which collects in the bottom of the cabinet may be disposedof in a convenient manner.

Further objects and advantages ofthe present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the acy' water iscirculated through the double shell of f barrels to and from a watercooler;

rangement for salvagingthe cooling fluid from the cooling jacket of anempty keg;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary views showing various modiedarrangements for connecting the cooling iiuid lines to the coolingjackets of the beverage containers;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are similar to Fig. 5 only showing modifiedarrangements for salvaging the cooling fluid;

Fig. 13 is a detailed view of a Venturi pump; and

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic representation partly in cross section showingan insulated bar cabinet. and a modified arrangement for cooling thebeverage containers.

My invention is particularly applicable to the refrigeration of beer andother beverages which are dispensed to the consumer directly fromreiillable shipping containers. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and2, an insulated bar cabinet l5 'is provided in which the kegs or`containers such asv 16 I1, i8 and I9 of the type having built-in coolingjackets are placed during storage and dispensing. In order to cool thebeverage in the containers I have provided a refrigerating system,generally designated by the reference character 20, which comprises anevaporator 2l mounted within an insulated tank 22 containing water lorany other suitable cooling liiuid, a compressor 23, .a condenser 24 anda motor 25 for operating the compressor. In order to maintain thetemperature of the cooling fluid in the insulated tank 22 at 'asubstantially constant temperature, I' have provided a thermostat 2Bwithin the,tank 22 which controls the switch 21 in the electrical supplyline leading to the compressor motor; the arrangement being such that,when the temperature in the tank is lielow,`

a predetermined value, the compressor stops 0pi pipe line 32 which leadsinto the bar cabinet and which is provided with a plurality of branchlines equipped with valves 33. These branch lines are provided with hosesections 35 which are adapted to be connected` with the inlets to thecooling ljackets of the barrels. A return line 35 provided with aplurality of branch lines 31 connectible to the outlets of the coolingjackets and having valves 36 is provided for normally conveying thecooling fluid back to the cooling tank 22.

Although the kegs are of novel design, it is to be understood that othertypes of containers may be used and that the system may be designed for'the cooling of a single keg or any number of kegs, one or more of whichmay be on tap. The system is especially designed for dispensing beersand ales but is equally well adapted for dispensing other types ofbeverages. As shown in Figl, tap rods 38 of any conventional design areprovided for drawing the beer in the usual manner. Gas under pressure issupplied from the tank 39 to the line 40 which is provided with branchlines 4I leading to the tap rods 38. A valve 40a is provided for eachbranch line.

The barrels which have been used in illustrating my invention have adouble walled construction such that a coolinglmedium may be circulatedthrough the space between the walls oi the barrel. As constructed, eachbarrel is provided with two separate jacket sections; that is, an

upper jacket and a lower jacket. The barrel I6, however, is providedwith a connector 43 which permits the cooling water to pass from thelower jacket into the upper jacket. The barrel I6 has a cooling waterinlet adjacent the top of the barrel yand this inlet is connected with apipe line 42 which conveys the cooling water to the bottom of the lowerjacket. The outlet for the cooling water is likewise provided at the topof the barrel with the result that the water is required to travel thefull length of the barrel before returning to the storage tank where itis further cooled for reuse. In the barrel I1 a little differentarrangement is provided in that the cooling Water inlet and outlet arebothlocated in the top of .the barrel, but no means areprovided forsupplying a cooling fluid to the upper jacket since the inlet andoutlets are both provided with pipes 44 and`45 respectively which,iommunicate with the lower jacket only. The barrel I8 is of a stilldifferent construction in that the inlet 46 is placed adjacent thevbottom of the barrel and the outlet 41 is placed adjacent the top ofthe lower jacket. The barrel I9 is also of a different I construction'inthat the inlet 48 is provided adjacent the bottom of the lower jacketand the v'outlet 49 is placedadjacent the top of the upper jacket and aconnecting pipe I is provided being from the cooling jacket enters thevalve at 53 and leaves at 55. A temperature responsive bellows 53 isprovided which may be filled with an expansible gas or liquid, expansionand contraction of which causes reciprocation of lthe rack 51 which, inturn, causes rotation of the butterfly valve 58 which controls theamount of fluid flowing through the valve. Valves of this type areespecially desirable in such installations where both beer and ale areserved, in that it makes it possible to maintain the beer at onetemperature and the ale at another temperature. As shown in Fig. 4, anadjusting screw 58 is provided which adjusts the tension on the spring6I.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a convenient hose connection which comprises arubber stopper 63 provided with a hose attaching member 64. With thisarrangement it is a very simple matter to connect and disconnect thehoses with the inlets `and outlets to the various kegs.

In a system of the type shown it is desirable to ysalvage the water fromthe cooling jackets before returning the kegs to be refilled. There areseveral advantages in salvaging this Water. In,the first place, thewater is already colder than any make-up water normally available. Inthe second place, it is desirable to have a system in which the repeatedaddition of make-up water is unnecessary. A nother advantage is that itis much easier to transfer the barrels when the cooling jacket is empty.Numerous novel arrangements have been illustrated for salvaging thecooling water from the empty kegs, In order to simplify the description,like reference characters have been used to designate similar parts;that is, in each modification the cold water storage tank has beendesignated by the reference character 22 and the pipe for conveying thecooling fluid to the bar cabinet has, in each instance, been designatedby the reference character 32 and the return pipe by the referencecharacter 35. The valves leading to the kegs from the line 32 have beendesignated by the reference character 33, and the valves in the linebetween the keg and the return line 35 have been designated by thereference character 36 throughout all views.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the cooling fluid may be salvaged byclosing the valves 33 and 36, disconnecting the hose 31 from the barrel,disconnecting the hose 34 from the valve 33 and connecting it to theVenturi pump 65 which is constructed according to the showing in Fig. 13and has its outlet arranged in the pipe line 35 with the result thatwater circulated through the line 35 will draw the cooling water out ofthe cooling jacket of the barrel 66. After having emptied the coolingwater from the jacket of the barrel 66, a new barrel may be substitutedfor the barrel 66. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, a two-way valve68 has been substituted for the usual valve 33. This two-way valve hasone branch connected to the supply line 32 and has another branchconnected to the outlet 69 of the Venturi pump 65, the nozzle of whichis placed in the return line 35. In order to salvage the cooling waterfrom a barrel by means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the valve 36is closed, the hose 31 is disconnected from the barrel, and the valve 68is turned so as to connect the hose 34 with the Venturi pump 65.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I have shown slightly modied arrangements which maybe used in installations where the storage tank 22 is mounted in thebarrel I9 shown in Fig. 1 from which the cooling.

water may be salvaged b 'y closing the valves 33 and 3G, disconnectingthe line 31 from the keg, disconnecting the line 34 from the valve 33and connecting it to the Venturlmember 65. A valve 'M is attached to theventuri 85 at 13. whereby the venturi can be rendered completelyinoperative when not in use for salvaging the cooling uid. In the samefigure, I have shown a keg similar to keg I1 in Fig. 1 from which thecooling iluid may be salvaged by closing the valve. 33, stopping thepump 29, disconnecting the hose 3l, and letting the water siphon backinto storage tank 22 through the line 32.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the valve 33 disclosed in the firstmodification is dispensed with and a two-way valve 12 is provided whichmakes it possible to connect the cooling water outlet with either thesupply line 32 or the return line 35.n For cooling purposes the two-wayvalve 12 is set so as to connect the cooling jacket inlet with thesupply line 32. In this arrangement, when it is desired to salvage thewater from the cooling jacket of` the keg, the pump is stopped, thevalve 36 is closed, the valve 12 is adjusted to connect hose 34 withreturn line 35, and the hose 31 is disconnected from the keg with theresult that the water will siphon `out of the cooling jacket.

In Fig. 9 I have shown an arrangement corresponding to the arrangementshown in Fig. 6 in which a different type of barrel is used havinginlets and outlets'arranged as vshown in the barrel I3 in Fig. 1. Figs.6 and 9 is suitable for any location of the cooling water supply tank22.

In the modication shown in Fig. 10 the supply of gas under pressure fordisplacing the beer from the keg is made use of in salvaging the coolingfluid from the cooling jacket of the keg. In this modification thecooling Water is salvaged in the following manner: Valve 40a, in the gasf line 40 leading from a gas pressure tank such as 39 shown in Fig. l,is closed and valves 33 and 36 are also closed. 'Ihe hose 34 isdisconnected from the valve 33 and is connected to the valve 36 as shownin dotted lines. The hose 4| is dis- The arrangement shown in v thecooling water outlet as shown in dotted lines.

Thereupon, valves 36 and 40a. are opened with the result that thepressure oi' the gas forces the cooling fluid from the jacket throughthe return line 35 into the storage tank 22. `When the jacket is fullyempty the valves 36 and 40a are closed and the connections are made to anew keg in the usual manner as shown in full lines in Fig. 10. l

In installations of the type shown in Fig. '10 where the pressure inline 40 is suiicient, the hose connection 34 need not be changed over tothe valve 36 since the pressure in line 40 is sumcient to overcome thepressure of the pump 29. Likewise, when the pump 29 is not in operationnormal air pressure is suilicient so that the hose connection 34 neednot be changed over to the valve 36.v

Where it is not desired to utilize the gas for displacing the water norutilizing a venturi or siphon means for `salvaging the water a separatepump, such as pump 15 shown in Fig. 11, may be provided. .With such anarrangement the water may be salvaged by closing the valves 33 and 35,

which water is withdrawn disconnecting the hoses 34 and 31, connectingthe hose I3 to the normal inlet of the keg, opening the valve 11 andoperating the pump motor 18 until the cooling water has been pumped outof the cooling jacket.

In all of the systems described thus far, the pump 29 has been utilizedfor pumping the water into the cooling jackets. In Fig. 12, I have showna diierent modication in which a pump 29' has its suction side connectedto the return line 35.I

In this modification the cooling water is pumped out of the coolingpassages with the result that cooled water will flow into the" coolingjacket whenever the pump 29' is operated and the'valves 33 and 36 areopen and the hose connections are made as shown in full lines in Fig. 12. In order t'o salvage the cooling fluid in this modification, thevalves 33 and 36 are first closed and thereafter the hose 33 isdisconnected from the valve 33 and is connected to the valve 36, and thevalve 33 is opened so as to cause the cooling water to be pumped out ofthe cooling jacket.

As pointed out hereinabove, I have devised a system which is capable ofmaintaining the beverage at a proper temperature for dispensing, and Ihave shown various arrangements suitable for the various types ofinstallations for salvagingthe cooling fluid from the kegs prior toreturning the kegs to the brewery.

In Fig. 14 I have shown another modification in which. the cold waterstorage tank is eliminated and in which the ref-rigerating system 8|) isprovided with an evaporator 8| mounted directly within the insulated barcabinet l5'. In this modification water is not continuously circulatedthrough the jackets of the kegs but a full length of the cabinet and isprovided with a` plurality of faucets 85 which may be opened whenever itis desi-red to lill the cooling jackets with cold water or the like. Nohose connections have been shown, as the faucets 85 may be arrangedtodischarge water directly into the inlet of the barrel. A funnel, suchas 86, may be provided at the inlet to the cooling jacket or, ifdesired, a hose may be used as in the other modication. A pump 88 isprovided which may be used for pumping the water from the jackets of theempty containers. This pump 83 is provided with a. hose 89 which may beconnected to the outlet of a coolingrjacket whenever it is desired tosalvage the water in the jacket. The refrigerating system is controlledby means of a thermostatic bulb 80 which is mounted within the barcabinet and which operates the switch 8| in a well-known manner forstarting and stopping the refrigerating System in accordance wiitahtemperature conditions within the bar cabine `Condensate collecting inthe bottom of bar cabinet I5 or I5 may be added to the Water supply bywithdrawing it in the same manner in from the cooling jackets. yIn themodication shown in Fig. 14, for example, the condensate may be pumpedinto tank 82 merely by placing the inlet of the hose 83 adjacent thebottom of the cabinet while the pump is in operation.

1 While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsage therefrom, means for supplying cooling fluid to said passages, andmeans whereby said gas may be used in displacing cooling fluid from oneof said passages.

2. In combination, a beverage container, a source of gas under pressure,means for supplying a cooling uid in thermal exchange relationship withthe contents of said container, means for displacing the contents ofsaid container with gas from said source, and means for displacing saidcooling fluid with gas from said source.

3. .Apparatus for storing and dispensing a beverage which comprises aninsulated cabinet, beverage containers therein, means for cooling saidcontainers comprising means for circulating a cooling fluid in thermalexchange relationship with said containers, a high pressure gas supply,means whereby said gas from said supply displaces beverage in one ofsaid containers during dispensing of said beverage, and means wherebygas from said supply may be used to displace a portion of the coolingfluid in thermal exchange with one of said containers.

4. In a cooling and dispensing system wherein a-beverage container isprovided with means forming a cooling fluid flow passage connected inclosed circuit relation with a cooling fluid circulating between asource and said flow passage to cool the contents of said container;that method of removing the container when empty from said closedcircuit which comprises, discontinuing the flow of cooling fluid to theow passage of said container, discharging cooling fluid a cooling fluidcirculating betw from the flow passage of said container into anotherportion of said closed circuit, and thereafter disconnecting the emptycontainer from said closed circuit.

5. In a cooling and dispensing system wherein a plurality of beveragecontainers are each provided with means forming a cooling fluid ,flowpassage connected in closed circuit relation with n asource and saidflow passages to cool the' contents of said containers; that method ofremoving an empty container from said closed circuit which comprises,discontinuing the flow of cooling fluid to the flow passage of. theempty container, discharging cooling fluid from the flow passage of saidempty container into the cooling fluid circulating between said sourceand the flow paspassage of said containers, and means whereby saidcirculating means may be utilized for removing cooling fluid from the owpaage of an emptied container to another portion of' said closed circuitwhen the empty container is to be disconnected from the circuit. y

7. In a beverage cooling and dispensing system, a plurality of beveragecontainers from which beverage may be dispensed, means associated witheach of said containers for withdrawing beverage therefrom, each ofsaidcon tainers being provided with a cooling fluid flow passageconnected in closed circuit relation with a source of cooling fluid,means for circulating cooling fluid from said source thereof through theflow passage of said containers, means for circulating gas underpressure to said containers for displacing beverage therefrom, and meanswhereby one` of said circulating means may be utilized for removingcooling fluid from the flow passage of an emptied container to anotherportion of said closed circuit when the empty container is to bedisconnected from the circuit.

8. In a beverage cooling and dispensing system; a plurality of beveragecontainers from which beverage may be dispensed, means associated witheach of said containers for withdrawing beverage therefrom, each of saidcontainers being provided with a cooling fluid flow passage connected inclosed circuit relation with a source of cooling fluid, a pumping meansin said closed circuit for circulating cooling fluid from said sourcethereof through the flow passage of said containers, and a secondpumping means associated with said circuit for removing cooling fluidfrom the flow passage of an emptied container to another portion of saidclosed circuit when the empty container is to be disconnected from thecircuit.

9. In a beverage cooling and dispensing system, a plurality of beveragecontainers from which beverage may be dispensed, means associated witheach of said containers for withdrawing beverage therefrom, each of saidcontainers being provided with a cooling fluid flow passage connected inclosed circuit relation with a source of cooling fluid." a pumping meansin said closed circuit for circulating cooling fluid from said sourcethereof through the flow passage of said containers, a second pumpingmeans associated with said circuit for removing cooling fluid from theflow passage of an emptied container to another portion of said closedcircuit when the empty container is to be disconnected from the circuit,and means whereby said second pumping means may be rendered effective bythe pumping action of said first named pumping means.

l0. In a beverage cooling and dispensing system, a beverage containerfrom which beverage may be dispensed, means associated with saidcontainer for withdrawing beverage therefrom, said container beingprovided with a cooling fluid flow passage connected in closed circuitrelation with a source of cooling fluid, means for circulating coolingfluid from said source thereof through the flow passage of saidcontainer, and means whereby the cooling fluid may be siphoned out ofthe flow passage of said container into another portion of said closedcircuit when said container is to be disconnected from the circuit.

11. In a cooling and dispensing system wherein a plurality. of beveragecontainers Aeach have a cooling fluid flow passage formed integraltherewith and which passages are connected in closed circuit relationwith a cooling :duid circulating between a source and said passages tocool the contents of said containers; that method of removing an emptykcontainer along with its flow passage from said closed circuit 'whichcomprises, discontinuing the flow of cooling uid to the ow passage ofsaid empty container While continuing the iiow of cooling iiuid throughthe now passage of another container, discharging cooling iiuid from thenow passage of said empty container into another portion of said closedcir-

